Bakhita House – a Trafficking Shelter in London
I hadn’t heard of Bakhita House, until I attended the Santa Marta Conference on Human Trafficking in London last December. I learnt that Bakhita House is a Shelter in London which will soon be providing accommodation, care and rehabilitation for up to 12 female survivors of human trafficking and slavery. Now a Trafficking Shelter is quite a unique feature in the UK, so I promised myself that I would check the place out.
On 28th May three RACSRAG members accompanied me to Bakhita House where we were given a tour of the House and its facilities by Project Manager, Karen Anstiss. The House, which takes its name from St Josephine Bakhita, a former Sudanese slave, is owned by the Archdiocese of Westminster and managed by Caritas Westminster. It will provide assistance to the most vulnerable and traumatised individuals who have experienced human trafficking, especially those who fall outside the existing structures of support.
Karen Anstiss provides a powerful and wonderful insight into the work of Bakhita House.
Now to hear from the Project Manager of the Bakhita House, Karen Anstiss:
Welcome to Bakhita House. We hope this will be a home for many over the coming years, a place to rest and be respected. A community atmosphere which encourages restoration.
Why is Bakhita House necessary? Well let me take an example of my everyday life which I can easily take for granted but let’s compare it to Kasia’s, a trafficked victim.
My Journey to work.
When I wake up, I have normally had eight hours sleep, I am in a safe warm cosy place. I walk to the bathroom and as I do I look down, I am reminded that this seasons colour is orange by the paint on my nails!
Kasia is woken up by Sebastian her trafficker. She is in a room with three other women and two beds, no heating. She has had three hours sleep having worked the previous day from 10am until 10pm in a brothel and then on the streets from 11pm until 3am. Kasia looks down as she walks to the bathroom and sees fresh bruises barely covering old bruises from clients the day before. The bruises remind her that Sebastian owns her but if a client pays for her services for a short time he owns her, she has no rights to say no to anything and the bruises are proof of this.
After a hot shower I choose something to wear for the day, it will be the colour for the season clean and appropriate for the weather conditions. On the way to the bus stop my head is full, hoping I get a seat and then when I change to the tube upping my hopes to a seat and a free newspaper.
Kasia has had a cold shower and is putting on clothes chosen by Sebastian. She would never have picked such clothes and they were not even warm enough for this country. Although
skimpy they did hide much of her bruising, so at least she would not put off the clients. She struggles to dress as the last client of the night punched her in the ribs when she indicated to him he should use a condom. She would never dare ask to go to a doctor even though each day a bit more of her body hurt inside and out.
I am on the tube, it’s a good day, a seat a free paper and relative peace whilst I travel to work. Now my thoughts are of what I will eat for breakfast and if AJ and Anna will want to pop out for lunch, my thoughts revolve happily around food, my dreams today easily achievable.
Kasia is squeezed into the back of a car with three other women, no one talks, no one wants to upset Sebastian or his girlfriend, both being more than capable of dealing out instant punishment as already proved on several occasions. Kasia’s thoughts today are, can she make enough money so Sebastian is not angry and won’t therefore send someone to punish her family in her own country. Her family did not deserve to be hurt because she did not work hard enough. Her thoughts are if enough clients buy me my family stay safe, her own safety never enters her mind.
I arrive at Bakhita House, the calm peaceful atmosphere envelopes me as I walk through the door, kick off my shoes and put my slippers on. Smell of fresh flowers and of breakfast cooking make me smile. Women’s chatter drifting through the house makes me think about family and friends I feel like I am home, it’s safe and filled with people who care about each other.
Kasia enters the brothel, the smell of last night’s activities and very cheap perfume fills the air, stale cigarette smoke hangs in the air. In the room which is hers for the next twelve hours the bin overflows with used condoms, a relief that at least some men are using them. The woman in charge is barking orders to Kasia and the others about cleaning duties. All the women have the same haunted look, Kasia’s thoughts are ,only nineteen working hours ahead and may be today a small gap for resting.
So for many years Kasias story has been a reality in this country and many others. Whilst a Police officer I often worked alongside people from the church, whilst working together we came to realise that a Bakhita House was very much needed.
A place to be safe, where the church and the Police can work together over a period of time to enable those like Kasia to move on, to restore themselves and so have a future.
To try and combat the crime by taking Kasia’s story and finding all the Sebastian’s that need to be dealt with.
To have the calm caring nature of the sisters to restore faith to the Kasia’s so they can move on independently.
The best thing in life is actually life. So Bakhita House wants Kasia’s daily journey to be like that of mine, a journey worth living for all the right reasons.
So when you go away today try to not take anything for granted in your own lives, and spare a thought for how you can help the Kasias that are still out there.